Miami Dolphins’ Jason Taylor helped make Falcons’ Dan Quinn the coach he is

DAVIE — Jason Taylor’s name doesn’t show up on the roster of the Dolphins’ all-time coaching staff.

Dan Quinn’s does.

But during their two years together in Davie starting in 2005, it wasn’t just Quinn teaching Taylor, but Taylor teaching Quinn.

Quinn fondly reflected on those days Wednesday during a conference call with the South Florida media ahead of Sunday’s Dolphins game in Atlanta against Quinn’s Falcons.

“It’s going to sound unusual, but I learned quite a bit from him,” Quinn said. “And I think players — accomplished ones, specifically — can teach a coach new things. … I got better as a coach from my time with him.”

Their bond was evident in August when Quinn was in the crowd in Canton, Ohio, as a guest of Taylor’s for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“When I got the invitation and I knew it matched up with a day off, that was my smallest way to let him know my gratitude and appreciation for the two years that I got to work with him,” Quinn said. “I love him. I love what he stood for as a competitor, as a ballplayer.”

One thing Quinn might not enjoy is seeing a similar defensive blueprint from the Dolphins on Sunday.

“They use the defensive ends in a variety of ways and they play a number of guys,” Quinn said. “The way they play that wide-nine technique, it’s reminiscent of those kind of days where J.T. would really be out on the edge of zones. So I appreciate that style. We play quite a bit of that as well on our system.”